Classically, filing cabinet systems comprise a number of manilla or colored cardboard folders which are placed in a drawer and held in an organized vertical position by a backplate which may be adjustably moved in any one of a number of positions along the length of the drawer. However, if this backplate is not constantly adjusted the folders will quickly become disorganized and document damage can occur.
Hanging folder filing systems for file cabinet drawers provide a solution for some of these problems, but suffer from other inadequacies. These systems generally comprise two parallel support rods intended to support a number of cardboard folders in hanging fashion. Products such as these, for example those marketed by the Pendaflex Corporation, provide a means for separating and organizing files into desired groupings, for easy document retrieval. However, such systems, while widely used, suffer various drawbacks. The hanging folders are fixed in size, either legal or letter size, making it difficult or impossible to accommodate oversize documents without damaging them. Even when used with documents of standard 8 1/2 inch (22.1 cm) width, as more materials are put into the hanging folder, the folder expands in width and becomes shorter in height, thereby resulting in the materials extending out over the top of the folder. Additionally, the hanging folders have a tendency to move or slide along the support rods, thereby causing files to bunch or the groupings of files to be disrupted, thereby making document retrieval more difficult.